He was perfectly willing, he said, to gamble another twenty thousand on Bryant's ability to win through, but he did not have the cash.

Then he went on to say that Imogene had been suffering from a slight cold, and that Ruth Gardner was visiting at present with other friends in Kennard.
Lee had had a telephone call from each of them the morning after Christmas, thanking him for his gift, and later a letter from Imogene again expressing her appreciation, with a line that a change in Mrs.
McDonnell's plans had prevented having him with them on Christmas.
Nothing from either since.

He now asked the banker to convey to Imogene his wishes for a quick recovery, then set out for camp.
Ruth--he did not even know where in town to look for Ruth, had he been so inclined.

Engaged! The thing would have been amusing if it was not so horrible.
"No luck," he said to Pat, briefly, when in his shack warming his chilled body at the fire.

"Your system may work in summer, but all the money is froze up at this time of year, like everything else." At the end of the week the winter's frigid grip on the earth relaxed and a period of mild, almost balmy days followed.